Waymo lastly has a music expertise worthy of its robotaxi

I’m driving behind a Waymo that’s autonomously navigating the busy streets of San Francisco with relative ease because of 29 exterior cameras, six radar, and 5 lidar sensors all feeding into an AI mannequin. For simply 15 bucks, I get to expertise what looks like a miracle of contemporary know-how, and but, there’s a nagging thought I can’t shake.

The music sucks in right here.

Waymo’s music-streaming function has felt like an aged barnacle connected to a futuristic shell. Till this week, passengers have been restricted to a couple music stations that performed lo-fi beats, clean jazz, Okay-pop, or different genres they could or could not look after. For individuals who needed to take heed to one thing extra particular, they’d to make use of one other app from Waymo’s mother or father firm Alphabet.

For iPhone customers, that meant downloading the Google Assistant app and configuring it to hook up with Spotify. At that time, you needed to ask Google Assistant via written or verbal instructions to stream sure songs, artists, or playlists on the Waymo. Even if you happen to get thus far — at which you’ll be midway to your vacation spot and have listened to roughly three lo-fi beats — the service didn’t work reliably.

As I rode alongside in a robotaxi stuffed with cutting-edge know-how, I used to be puzzled why Waymo had not found out a easy strategy to stream music from my telephone into the automotive’s audio system — a breakthrough that automakers and audio producers found out a few a long time in the past.

That’s why I used to be pleasantly stunned this week to see that Waymo launched a Spotify integration permitting customers to seamlessly hyperlink the music-streaming and robotaxi-hailing companies. I instantly related the companies and hailed a Waymo to see how it might work.

Waymo’s Spotify integration is nothing groundbreaking, nevertheless it provides to the person expertise. It really works seamlessly, which is roughly what I might anticipate when making an attempt to play music on my automotive’s audio system in 2025. However driving round in a Waymo, listening to my very own playlist or choosing up the place I left off on a podcast, the again seat of the robotaxi feels extra like my very own area — which is more and more the rationale I go for a Waymo.

To set it up, open the Waymo app and navigate to the “Music” part, the place you’ll discover a brand new providing that permits you to connect with Spotify. From there, you possibly can press a button and authorize Spotify to hook up with Waymo, albeit whereas giving the robotaxi supplier some entry to your listening data.

I’m certain Apple Music customers will quickly need to stream their music and podcasts in Waymos as effectively. Waymo spokesperson Chris Bonelli informed TechCrunch the corporate is all the time exploring new personalization choices however didn’t make clear when the corporate may add an Apple Music integration.

As soon as my Waymo and Spotify accounts have been linked, I hailed a Waymo like I normally would and acquired in. On the Waymo’s touchscreen within the again seat, there’s an possibility to pick out Spotify. I tapped it, and the podcast I used to be listening to on my headphones began taking part in from the precise spot I left off.

You’ll be able to flip “autoplay” on or off in Waymo’s Music settings, and upon entry, the robotaxi will robotically begin taking part in no matter track or podcast you have been listening to on Spotify. I favored having it on, nevertheless it does really feel prefer it might get you into an odd state of affairs if you happen to’re listening to an intense true crime podcast after which get right into a Waymo with work colleagues.

You may as well use the Waymo’s touchscreen to pick out from a wide range of custom-made playlists that Spotify customers will likely be acquainted with, resembling your “Daylist” or different mixes. Nonetheless, this choice doesn’t appear to incorporate albums, audiobooks, or podcasts that you just’ve just lately listened to.

Fortunately, your Spotify app now controls the music within the Waymo. You’ll be able to merely choose any track or playlist you need out of your smartphone and stream it all through the car such as you would utilizing Apple CarPlay or a bluetooth speaker.

In the long run, the Spotify integration made my robotaxi really feel extra personalised; I used to be even capable of tweak the bass, subwoofer, and treble ranges within the automotive’s audio system. That personalization will not be the primary attraction for first-time customers, nevertheless it might maintain them coming again — and a loyal buyer base is precisely what Waymo wants.